Meet Juliana Costa: How Autism Allies Helped Shape Her Career Path

Meet Juliana below and read more about her career journey, her advice for those who are just getting into the field, and how Autism Allies played a part in helping her reach her career goals.

Q: So what’s your story and how did you come to work for Autism Allies?

Juliana: “I joined Autism Allies in 2016, which was about 5 years ago when the company newly opened. I was in my second year of undergrad - majoring in psychology / mental health and didn’t have much experience. I was working in retail and applied to a bunch of jobs that related to the field of psychology. I actually didn't know much about ABA before the interview.”

Q: What led to your interest in mental health?
Juliana: “Starting in high school I always noticed how the mind works and felt like it was really interesting. I also had a personal connection to the field because I have a cousin who has severe schizophrenia. Seeing her life and her struggles made me very interested in studying psychology. I also have an autistic cousin who I used to babysit at a time before I knew anything about autism or what it meant. I knew he couldn’t talk, but I found a new and unique way of communicating with him. Those experiences and that history brought me to where I am to this day, and I still have aspirations of applying ABA with mental health.”

Q: Did you have any certifications in the field before working at Autism Allies?

Juliana: “I didn’t know what I was getting into at 21 when I joined the company and what the field required. When I joined I didn't have any certifications yet, so I started in an entry level position and through Autism Allies, after about 1.5 years, I was able to become an RBT (registered behavior technician) after doing training, the online courses they provided, and then the exam.”

Q: What did you like about the environment at Autism Allies?

Juliana: “What I loved about the environment was that all of the behavior therapists had the same vision. Everyone was trying to help these kids become the best version of themselves.

We all felt they have all the skills they need; the team just helps to unravel them.

There was great camaraderie in meetings with everyone bouncing ideas off one another. It was also very rewarding for us to play a huge role in these children's lives.”

Q: How do you see & measure progress with the children you work with?

Juliana: “Every child progresses differently; autism exists on a spectrum and what might be a big milestone for one kid isn’t for another. There was one time when I was working with a client for a year or two; he was 5 and very smart but had a lot of behaviors that limited his going to school. He had a lot of repetitive behaviors we were trying to decrease. At one point, I didn’t know if I could keep working with him if he didn't progress, but one day it just clicked. We went into a session and after this, the behaviors were minimized. He made so much progress but not on a timeline that I expected. What you think will take forever may not - sometimes it can take just one thing to click in their brains to completely change their behaviors. That's what I meant when I said they have the skills inside of them to make a difference in the world, and we just do our little part to help.”

Q: When did you figure out you wanted to pursue training in ABA therapy?

Juliana: “Working at Autism Allies really allowed me to explore this career path. When I started working with my first client - who was the most challenging and rewarding too - I was able to gain a lot of experience at one time. After that year was when I realized I really wanted to continue. Like I mentioned, I saw his progression and change, and his parents noticed a difference and were able to give her that feedback to me too, which was really rewarding. I love working with people and helping people, and that really solidified that I wanted to pursue a career and education in this field. The children are so important - they are our future; they could be the doctors of tomorrow.”

Q: Tell us about your degree - you just graduated!

Juliana: “I just got my masters in Applied Behavioral Analysis! I graduated in December of 2020, which meant I was going through school right in the middle of COVID. It took a toll on me to learn completely online, but the process itself was very much worth it. It was overall a 2-year process, which day to day can become a lot; you can lose motivation at points. But when you reach the finish line, you think about it and can say it was worth it because you gain a lot of knowledge. I recently took and passed the BCBA exam as well and was very nervous but so glad I passed. I will receive my official license to be authorized to work in MA in about 6 weeks, and one thing I learned in the waiting process through getting my degree from start to finish was to have patience.”

Q: What was the biggest challenge to completing your degree?

Juliana: “I would say it was when I had to take one semester off for financial reasons, because usually if I start something I can’t take a break. This caused me to feel delayed in my progress, and during this time I worked as well and so I thought, well, if I have to stop in one area, I’m going to grow in another! Having that semester off felt like a setback, but graduation was always the light at the end of the tunnel, and I was still able to finish on time. I also decided not to take any student loans out, so I was working to pay everything out of pocket. I was able to do it, but at one point it was hard. Everything still worked out, though, and that's how I got to where I am.”

Q: What message do you have for people just starting out who may have an interest in pursuing a similar degree or career path, but don't know what to do or how to do it?

Juliana: “Please don’t give up! Try to find as many resources as possible and connect with as many people as possible, because they can help you reach your goals. People can help you along the way, whether it's a BCBA or behavioral therapist, because they’ve walked a similar path. It is a tedious journey, but you will be so glad when you reach the finish line!”

What a pleasure it was to sit down with Juliana and hear her story!

In many ways, her journey is not unusual. Talented and motivated people who find their way to Autism Allies find like-minded professionals with whom to partner. A dream or ambition whose seed may have been planted years earlier, as in Juliana’s case, is nurtured in the company of others who share the same desire to help others reach their potential. Training and onsite education, as well as opportunity to be mentored and even mentor others, also contribute to making a long-held dream a reality.

If you share Juliana's desire to help those on the spectrum reach their greatest potential, let Autism Allies help build and nurture a satisfying and fulfilling career!